Mini 14 spontaneous bolt disassembly!

[dbarale]

I was trying to sight in a Mini 14 project today (long story but I needed to file down the front sight) and I started getting a lot of malfunctions. Mostly failures to extract or eject. And, yes, I was using factory mags.

As I was trying to figure out what the problem was I ended up with a spent round stuck in the chamber. I dropped the mag and as I was trying to get it out I realized the extractor had extracted itself. Along with the plunger and the spring.

The most amazing thing is that I found all three on the ground of the range!

I also found the firing pin which somehow also exited the bolt.

I have never seen such a failure on anything. The extractor plunger appears to be broken at the tip.

I called Ruger and I was able to order replacement parts for a few bucks. But has anyone ever seen anything like that on a Mini?

 

[hittman]

I'm still stuck on filing down the front site!

Maybe you're not the first person to "help" with that poor gun and it wasn't put back together properly.

 

[dbarale]

I'm still stuck on filing down the front site!

Maybe you're not the first person to "help" with that poor gun and it wasn't put back together properly.

You have no idea. It was a dumpster fire. Now it's… Better. Kinda. Definitely not one for the purists. Filing the front sight was necessary because of the now 14.5" barrel (pinned and welded to make it legal).

Before:

After:

There's a full rebuild thread here:

Mini 14 Tactical Bubba

I have always wanted a Mini 14, I have heard the complaints about accuracy and expensive magazines but I think they look cool in a Garand-ish kinda way. So I got one : Yeah, no, no this one. That one: Isn’t she purty? Look at that awesome muzzle, errrr, device? It even has that...

carolinafirearmsforum.com

 

[hittman]

Well that makes a lot more sense!

 

[Mobuck]

I'd like to hear how the FP exited the bolt. Was the bolt out of the action?

 

[MHtractorguy]

I really like the looks of that little "tanker" Mini 14.

 

[dbarale]

I'd like to hear how the FP exited the bolt. Was the bolt out of the action?

No. When the bolt travels forward the firing pin has enough inertia to stay back and fall out if it's not retained by the extractor. It falls out of the action when the mag is removed.

 

[harley08]

Did you ask Ruger about this?
Also, Ruger should have replaced the parts free of charge if you told them the story you wrote!

 

[jyo]

Never heard of a Mini 14 bolt coming apart while firing the gun! Interested in what Ruger has to say about this... As for filing the front sight---both of my 183 series GB Models shot lower than I'd like---the rear sight was elevated almost to it's max---rather then filing down the front sight, I found a aftermarket replacement rear sight blade (like 30-40 years ago) that had the hole located higher on the sight blade. I forget which company made them or if they are still available... Easy install---just replace the rear sight blade... Solved that problem!

 

[dbarale]

Did you ask Ruger about this?
Also, Ruger should have replaced the parts free of charge if you told them the story you wrote!

I talked to Chuck and let him know about the failure and the history of the gun. I don't expect them to warranty a 1989 rifle with a history of abuse.

 

[dbarale]

I received the new parts yesterday and installed them today. They are stainless as they were immediately available and I really don't care if it doesn't match the blued bolt.
The extractor was bent and the plunger's tip broken off…

 

[dbarale]

Update: the new parts seem to have fixed it (extractor, plunger, and spring). I ran about 100 rounds without issues. It even ran a Thermold magazine without malfunctions!!!